Well, the great day of being appreciative for stuff has past. Lots of people got together with family, including myself. S O Teric had a great day and made the traditional list of things to be thankful for, as did the bluishorange one (she’s more orange than blue, but whatever), and the dink gave us some great lyrics about family. K-Dog and Rye Bread did a great and noble thing, for which I am supremely proud of both of them. What I did for Turkey day seems a little selfish by comparison, but I have to say I can’t remember a better one in a while. Yes, I went to Big D to have lunch with my old man, but mostly, this year for Thanksgiving, I was ALONE.

And it was wonderful.

Work lately has been beating the crap out of me. In fairness, I asked for it (SMACK! “Thank you sir, may I have another?” SMACK!). I busted my butt, earned, asked for and was given a bit of authority and responsibility that others don’t have, and I am loving the oppurtunity. It’s nice to be recognized for your efforts. It’s nice to feel like a part of something bigger than yourself. It’s nice that work has finally gone from putting a roof over my head and food on my plate to putting toys in my toy box. The week before Thanksgiving, Austin hosts the National Emergency Medical Services convention, and paramedics and firefighters descend on us for three days and party like rockstars. In light of recent events, this year they deserved it more than ever. I met a few New York firefighters who have actually been at Ground Zero, and was moved in ways I hadn’t expected to be. I worked harder in those three days than I have in a long long time, and it was worth it.

So on Thanksgiving, after dinner and the traditional nap on the couch, I went back to my mom’s house, even though she and her better half weren’t there, but off visiting other family in the Cajun state. And I was alone all evening. I sat with my feet on my stepdad’s shiatsu foot massager for three hours. I watched a great old movie. I took a bath. I had a long phone conversation with someone important. I rested, and was thankful just to be quiet and still. It was one of the best Thanskgivings ever.